Shroud of Roses. Gloria Ferris

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СКАЧАТЬ your fellow classmates, who was at the dance? Caterers, chaperones?”

      “No caterers. Our moms supplied the sandwiches and desserts. Mr. Archman was there, and a couple of lady teachers whose names escape me at the moment. Mr. Archman is principal now. The others might be retired, or dead. Oh, and Kelly Quantz was the DJ.”

      Redfern looked up from his scribbling. “Kelly Quantz? Sophie Wingman Quantz’s husband?”

      “Kelly always DJed the school dances. He was a graphic artist, designing covers for books, mostly horror and fantasy. But, that doesn’t pay well, so he moonlighted as a DJ at the school dances — and weddings. I think he still does.”

      “So, he would have known Sophie when you were in high school?”

      “Everyone knew Sophie.” Oops, I shouldn’t have started down that road. Speaking ill of the dead isn’t classy.

      Redfern must have caught an inflection in my voice. “What does that mean?”

      “Well, before Sophie became a priest, she was … um … not so priestly.”

      “Who was she not priestly with? Anyone in particular?”

      “Pretty much everyone in particular. She nearly went through the entire senior class by spring break. There were even rumours she was involved with an older man.”

      His phone rang again. He did a lot of listening and a bit of grunting; so sexy. “Thanks, Bernie. If you find anything else, call me.”

      “What’s the big news, Redfern? Does it have to do with this case?”

      He pushed the yearbook with the grad photos closer to me. “First, tell me which boys were involved with Sophie.”

      CHAPTER

       nine

      Neil watched Cornwall as she leaned over the yearbook. Her crazily striped hair was pulled into a ponytail and her toenails glowed neon green. He meant it about taking a vacation. Somewhere warm where they could lie in the sand and coat each other with sunscreen. Margaritas would not be served, but he would find her some other tropical drink with an umbrella … and no tequila.

      “I can’t remember the exact order, but the only guys Sophie didn’t date in senior year were these.” She pointed to four young males in turn. “Nerd, gay, nerd, and this guy, Chico Leeds, who was under the thumb of his girlfriend in grade eleven. But Sophie cut a swath through the rest of the class. After spring break, though, she didn’t date anyone. I only remember because it was so out of character for her. That’s when the rumours started about the older man, but it could be she just got sick of the male sex, or ran out of options.”

      “Do you think any of Sophie’s relationships were sexual?” Neil noticed that Cornwall’s ex-husband, Mike Bains, was not one of the excluded males.

      “At least some of them, yeah. Boys like to brag, I know, but I think some of their stories might have been true.”

      “Including your ex-husband’s? You weren’t dating then?”

      “He was one of the legions of Sophie admirers. The Weasel and I didn’t get together until university. Second year.”

      Cornwall’s big, dark eyes fastened on his and he felt a sudden rage against Mike Bains for hurting her.

      “As far as you know, was the relationship between Bains and Sophie a serious one?”

      “I already told you, Sophie didn’t have any serious hookups in senior year. Certainly none that lasted.”

      “What about Kelly Quantz? Anything between them back then?”

      “Maybe he was the older man she was seeing, if there was one. Kelly is at least ten years older than Sophie. But there was no sign of it on grad night that I can remember. What did Bernie have to say?”

      “In a minute. What about Fang Davidson? Did he harbour any resentment when Sophie broke up with him?”

      “Who knows. Sophie was a slut back then. Everyone was surprised when she went to Divinity College, and even more surprised that she came back to the scene of her sinful past.”

      Neil replaced the yearbook with the one containing pictures of the grad party. “Let’s go over these photos. Maybe something will come back to you if you talk about them.”

      “I kind of doubt it, Redfern. After that night I swore off the hard stuff, and only drank an occasional glass of wine in university. Blackouts are a warning that one should limit one’s alcohol intake.”

      “Yes, I’ve heard that. Just tell me who these people are and what they’re doing. And don’t speculate.”

      She pointed to the first picture. “The Weasel sucking up to Mr. Archman. Did I mention the Weasel was the high school valedictorian that year and spent a lot of time sucking up to everyone except his classmates? He showed nothing but contempt for us, and that should have been a warning to me, but I was too dumb to see it.”

      “Ancient history, Cornwall. He was never good enough for you. Let’s move on.”

      “Next one: Fang and Chico either lowering or raising the disco ball.” She looked up. “Is the ball still in the auditorium?”

      “Still there, as well as the garbage nobody cleaned up.”

      “Yeah, well, that was supposed to be the last duty of the decorating committee. Chico, Fang, and I were told to come in early the next morning and remove all that stuff and pile it behind the new high school. Plus, bag up the garbage and throw it into the Dumpster behind the gym. By the time I remembered that, I was back at university the following Tuesday and didn’t give a shit. It’s not like the school board could revoke my diploma.”

      “You’re a rebel, Cornwall. Who’s Chico, by the way?”

      “Charles Leeds. He manages the Canadian Tire store in town.”

      “And would Faith Davidson be Fang’s sister?”

      “His twin sister, yes.”

      Cornwall had started wearing eye makeup, making her eyes seem even bigger and darker. With sweatshirt and jeans, she looked like Cleopatra on casual Friday. She aimed those eyes at him now. “Those bones in the locker are Faith’s.”

      Neil looked at Faith’s picture. Long dark hair, slight build, perfect smile. Perfect teeth. “About the phone call, Cornwall. Bernie says that Faith Davidson was reported missing by her parents two weeks after your party at the high school.”

      She stood up and walked away. When she came back, she held a glass of water which she drank in one long swallow. “I knew that Faith was missing. I heard it from my parents when I came home for Christmas. I thought about her for a long time, wondering what had happened to her. We had been friends at school. But then life happened. I forgot about her. Everyone said she disappeared in Toronto where she was staying with an aunt and going to college. I can’t remember which one. But the skeleton has to be Faith.”

      Neil said, “Until СКАЧАТЬ